English Resource Booklet 2 - Animal Aid

Lesson 2: Literary Animals 2 Extract 1From Jude the Obscure by Thomas HardyThey waited, and it grew lighter, with thedreary light of a snowy dawn. She went out,gazed along the road, and returning said,“He’s not coming. Drunk last night, I expect.The snow is not enough to hinder him, surely!”“Then we must put it off. It is only thewater boiled for nothing. The snow maybe deep in the valley.”“Can't be put off. There’s no morevictuals for the pig. He ate the last mixingo' barleymeal yesterday morning.”“Yesterday morning? What has he livedon since?”“Nothing.”“What -- he has been starving?”“Yes. We always do it the last day or two,to save bother with the innerds. Whatignorance, not to know that!”“That accounts for his crying so. Poorcreature!”“Well -- you must do the sticking -- there’sno help for it. I’ll show you how. Or I'll doit myself -- I think I could. Though as it issuch a big pig I had rather Challow haddone it. However, his basket o’ knives andthings have been already sent on here,and we can use ‘em.”“Of course you shan’t do it,” said Jude.“I'll do it, since it must be done.”He went out to the sty, shovelled away thesnow for the space of a couple of yards ormore, and placed the stool in front, with theknives and ropes at hand.A robin peered down at the preparationsfrom the nearest tree, and, not liking thesinister look of the scene, flew away, thoughhungry. By this time Arabella had joined herhusband, and Jude, rope in hand, got into thesty, and noosed the affrighted animal, who,beginning with a squeak of surprise, rose torepeated cries of rage. Arabella opened thesty-door, and together they hoisted the victimon to the stool, legs upward, and while Judeheld him Arabella bound him down, loopingthe cord over his legs to keep him fromstruggling.The animal’s note changed its quality. Itwas not now rage, but the cry of despair;long-drawn, slow and hopeless.“Upon my soul I would sooner have gonewithout the pig than have had this to do!”said Jude. “A creature I have fed with myown hands.”“Don’t be such a tender-hearted fool!There’s the sticking-knife -- the one withthe point. Now whatever you do, don’tstick un too deep.”“I’ll stick him effectually, so as to makeshort work of it. That’s the chief thing.”“You must not!” she cried. “The meatmust be well bled, and to do that he mustdie slow. We shall lose a shilling a score ifthe meat is red and bloody! Just touch thevein, that’s all. I was brought up to it, andI know. Every good butcher keeps unbleeding long. He ought to be eight orten minutes dying, at least.”“He shall not be half a minute if I can help8